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Cardinal Elementary reopens after lightning strike
By Paula Phounsavath
For the second time this school year, kids at Cardinal Elementary walked through the doors for another “first” day of school. After a lightning strike forced the school to close shortly after the year had begun, students returned Tuesday ready to resume their routines.
“Can I get a high five?” 9th District School Board member, Shavonda Dixon asked enthusiastically to the weary-eyed kids. “Welcome back, kiddos.”
The elementary school was hit by a lightning strike last Monday evening, which ignited a fire on the roof that was quickly extinguished by first responders. The second floor, home to second- and third-grade classrooms, sustained the most damage. Rainwater from the
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By George Copeland Jr.
Press staff report
CoStar Stadium? Dominion Energy Field?
Capital One Yards? If those were your guesses for which Richmond-based company will snag the naming rights for Richmond’s next stadium, we hope you didn’t place a hefty wager on it. The Richmond Flying Squirrels and their longtime partner announced Wednesday that the new Richmond ballpark and entertainment
called — CarMax Park. CarMax, the largest used car retailer in the U.S., secured a multi-year exclusive naming rights deal with the team. The new facility will serve as the home for the Flying Squirrels and will also host various events throughout the year.A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for
Long COVID’s lasting impact on Richmond residents
By George Copeland Jr.
Leslie Mento was working as a front line health worker and physical therapist in New York when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020. He was among the first in the country to help patients suffering from long-term effects of the virus, a condition then known as postCOVID. Now based in Richmond, Mento continues his work with Long COVID patients at Sheltering Arms’ Bon Air clinic. His experience reflects how the lives of many have been reshaped by this persistent illness and the ongoing efforts to address its impact.
Hauser-Long has since taken several steps to address its effects, including work with an herbalist to manage her severe gastroparesis and changing her diet. The journey has taken its toll, but she is determined to build a new normal in her life.
“We’re taking it bit by bit,” Mento said. “We’re getting better and better at it to some bit of degree.”
For Joy Hauser-Long, one of Mento’s physical therapy clients, Long COVID has been a rough adjustment. The 46-year old Blackstone resident’s illness was confirmed after multiple cases of COVID-19 and worsening symptoms in 2020 and 2022.
“I’m hoping, and that’s all I can do, that’s why I continue, even on days when I don’t feel good,” Hauser-Long said. “I’m just continuing to say that I’m not done, I’m not finished trying.”
Chamberlayne Farms resident Edward Coleman has managed to stay positive despite a regression in his condition. His initial recovery from COVID-19, after his infection was discovered during a routine health check in 2020, defied expectations given his age, pre-existing health issues and the treatments available. When interviewed for a previous story on Long COVID for the Free Press, Coleman had made multiple gains in his journey with
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Photo by Juilanne Tripp Hillian
Sereen Haddad, a Virginia Commonwealth University junior, speaks during
support of Palestine and addressing VCU’s April 29 deployment of police in riot gear
gathering at VCU’s Park Plaza.
Photo by Brian Palmer
Students at Cardinal Elementary School are greeted by
Assistant Principal Baylan Smith. The South Side school reopened this week after damage from a lightning strike on Aug. 26.
Photos by Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press
Ed Coleman, a Long COVID survivor, stands in front of the Henrico home he shares with his wife of 22 years, Charlene Warner Coleman.
LONG COVID
Virginia War Memorial honors 9/11 victims with Patriot Day event
Free Press staff report
The Virginia War Memorial will hold its annual Commonwealth’s Patriot Day Ceremony at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11.
The ceremony will mark the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon in Northern Virginia and the downed aircraft in Shanksville, Pa. The attacks, which were the first enemy assault on American soil since the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, resulted in the deaths of 2,997 people and injuries to more than 6,000 others.
Sept. 11 is recognized each year as Patriot Day, a National Day of Mourning established by the U.S. Congress to honor the victims of the attacks.
The keynote speaker for the event will be Lynn Wright, former deputy director of Naval Intelligence. Wright, who now works as a private consultant and advisory board member for academic and security technology firms, previously served as CEO of Naval Intelligence Professionals, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing Naval Intelligence capabilities. She also is an advisory member of the Virginia Tech National Security Institute. Wright witnessed the Pentagon attack firsthand and saw the immediate aftermath.
“We are honored to have former Director of Naval Intelligence Lynn Wright as our keynote speaker for the 2024 Commonwealth’s Patriot Day Ceremony,” said Virginia War Memorial Director Clay Mountcastle.
Attendees are requested to arrive early to this free event. At 10:40 a.m., the Virginia Barbershop Chorus will provide patriotic music. The ceremony will include the placement of wreaths in memory of those who lost their lives during the 2001 attacks. Representatives of the Freedom Flag Foundation, the Richmond-based nonprofit organization dedicated to remembering the events of 9/11, also will participate.
Free parking is available in the Virginia War Memorial surface lot and parking deck at 621 S. Belvidere St. The Virginia War Memorial will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The documentary film, “A New Century, A New War,” will be shown all day in the Memorial’s Reynolds Theater. For more information on the 2024 Commonwealth’s Patriot Day Ceremony, visit dvs.virginia.gov.
Free community testing for COVID-19 continues
For the week ending Saturday, Aug. 31, confirmed hospital admissions for COVID-19 in Virginia rose 4% from the previous week, and new admissions remain low. One death associated with COVID-19 was reported within the same timeframe. Updated data on COVID-19 wastewater levels in the Greater Richmond area showed plateaued levels starting the week of Aug. 25.
RHHD’s Resource Centers are providing free at-home tests for pickup at select locations:
• Creighton Court at 2150 Creighton Rd., call 804-3710433.
• Fairfield Court at 2311 N. 25th St., call 804-786-4099.
• Gilpin Court at 436 Calhoun St., call 804-786-1960.
• Hillside Court at 1615 Glenfield Ave., call 804-230-7740.
• Mosby Court at 1536 Coalter St., call 804-786-0204.
• Southwood Court at 1754 Clarkson Road. Unit #B, call 804-230-2077.
• Whitcomb Court at 2106 Deforrest St., call 804-7860555.
For more information on testing sites visit vax.rchd.com. The Virginia Department of Health lists testing locations at vdh.virginia.gov. Want a COVID-19 vaccine?
Those interested can schedule an appointment with RHHD by calling (804) 205-3501. Vaccines.gov also lists pharmacies and clinics that offer the COVID-19 vaccine, also those interested can also text their ZIP code to 438829 or call 1-800-232-0233.
The Food and Drug Administration has approved updated versions of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines.
The FDA recommends that children age 6 months to 4 years receive three doses of the updated Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine or two doses of the updated Moderna vaccine if they are unvaccinated. If they have already been vaccinated, they can receive one or two doses of either updated vaccine, depending on the timing of their last dose. Children age 5 to 11 who are either unvaccinated or have received a previous COVID-19 vaccine should get one updated Pfizer or Moderna dose. If they already have been vaccinated, they must wait at least two months after their last dose before receiving the new one.
For those age 12 and older, the CDC recommends getting one updated Pfizer or Moderna vaccine if they are unvaccinated or have had a previous dose. Those who already have been vaccinated should also wait at least two months after their last shot before getting the updated dose. People who are immunocompromised are encouraged to talk with their health care providers about the updated vaccines.
Compiled by George Copeland Jr.
Fall Line Trail breaks ground amid controversy in Bryan Park
Richmond
Cityscape
Slices of life and scenes in Richmond
Mayoral candidates share ideas for gun violence prevention, housing during RISC
By George Copeland Jr.
The future of Richmond’s approach to gun violence and housing became clearer last Thursday evening, as the five mayoral candidates shared their vision for both during a forum at Second Baptist Church Southside.
Andreas Addison, Danny Avula, Michelle Mosby, Maurice Neblett and Harrison Roday were provided the forum topics beforehand and each promised the roughly 100 attendees present solutions and a better city government when elected.
“We can’t go back to the basics — it hasn’t worked,” Neblett said. “I pledge for transparency and accountability with new leadership.”
The forum was hosted by Richmonders Involved to Strengthen Our Communi
ties (RISC), which describes itself as a “congregation-based community organization,” that is looking to forge a strong relationship with the next leader of the city.
“We’re looking for a mayor that listens,” RISC member and Second Baptist Church Pastor Ralph Hodge said.
The forum was the latest discussion between the candidates and RISC, which boasts a membership made up of congre
gations across Richmond and Henrico and Chesterfield counties. In May, they hosted a Gun Violence Intervention Roundtable to share their preferred approach to the issue with the candidates.
The candidates continued to put their support behind GVI during the forum, with some sharing their own personal experiences with gun violence and all bringing several proposals to tackle it alongside this initiative.
“For me, GVI is a no-brainer,” Mosby said. “I’m running for mayor because we need someone that understands it but can get things done, and I am that person.”
Mosby spoke of the need for broader improvements in public safety like youth mentorship. Both she and Addison noted the importance of collaboration in violence intervention, with Addison also advocating for more investment in neighborhood resources.
Avula and Neblett emphasized addressing the lack of opportunities for residents, with Avula also focusing on root social and economic causes of violence while Neblett stressed the need for collective effort among residents.
“I think the call to follow the data, use evidence-based practices, partner with the community who has done the work for us really makes a ton of sense,”
forum
tant,” Roday said. “But protecting renters is important too. Stopping evictions is important too.”
Some members of the public who attended the forum left pleased by the policies shared and the positions of the candidates.
Venesia Daniel-Allen, a retired social worker living in Richmond’s South Side, was happy to see the candidates focus on
Avula said.
Roday outlined a plan for gun violence prevention on the local and state levels that included a new city office focused on the issue and support for common sense regulation.
The Affordable Housing Trust Fund was also a major focus for RISC, which have advocated to see its annual funding increased. The candidates brought additional ideas to the table, from addressing housing costs for Addison, improving community connections for Avula, better partner collaboration for Mosby, more housing units for Neblett, and aiding tenants and the homeless for Roday.
“Yes, building new housing is impor-
a wide range of residents and the need for all to work together to improve the city. She hopes whoever is elected will put their words fully into action.
“I want them to be involved in the community and everything that’s going to go in the community,” Daniel-Allen said.
Denzel Mitchell, a volunteer for Cristo Rey’s work study program who used to work with RISC, was glad to see the organization being taken seriously by the potential leaders of the city.
“I know they’re candidates and so they’re willing to show up anywhere now, but it’s a good start,” Mitchell said. “They just have to follow up on it.”
Women make history with leadership roles
By George Copeland Jr.
Two new hires are making history in Henrico and Chesterfield counties. Kimberly D. Conley has been appointed director of Chesterfield’s Community Engagement and Resources Department and Jelisa S. Turner is the director of
Henrico’s new Department of Outreach and Engagement. A graduate of Virginia State University, Conley is the first African American woman to hold the position. A lifelong Chesterfield resident, she has over 30 years of experience in county government. Her roles have included serving as a staff assistant for the Board of Supervisors from 1996 to 1999, assistant director of CER until 2021 and chair of the Chesterfield County Black History Month Celebration.
Conley was announced as the new director last Tuesday and assumed the role Saturday, Aug. 31. She will lead the department’s work assisting county residents, businesses and visitors through its multiple offices and connecting to the community and resources.
“I am so excited to move into this new role and to lead this great team of people in CER,” Conley said in a statement. “It’s been extremely rewarding to spend my career in Chesterfield County, and I am thankful that I get to continue
to do that now and lead this fantastic department doing such important work engaging our community.” Turner, meanwhile, was previously part of the Henrico County Division of Fire as their community assistance, resources and education program manager, a role she held since 2020. Her tenure saw her create a strategic plan for an alternative community-based response model for emergency services. Turner also oversaw the Advocate for the Aging Office. She is a graduate of the University of Southern California with a master’s in gerontology and the University of Virginia with a bachelor’s in sociology. Turner assumed her new role on Saturday, Aug. 24, and is responsible for promoting the well-being of county residents, ensuring county departments serve their needs through outreach and engagement and overseeing Henrico’s strategy for diversity, equity and inclusion.
City of Richmond Chief Administrative Officer Lincoln Saunders, Mayor Levar M. Stoney,
Parks and Recreation Director Chris Frelke and Councilwoman Katherine Jordan, 2nd District, unveil a new sign at the former Bon Secours Training Center, now Midtown Green and headquarters for the City Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities. The space, formerly used by the former Washington NFL team for summer training camps, will host public events, including a football game between Richmond High School for the Arts and John Marshall High on Sept. 6.
Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press
Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press Richmonders Involved to Strengthen our Communities (RISC) hosted a Mayoral Candidates Forum on Aug. 29 at Second Baptist Church. From left: Richmond City Councilman Andreas Addison, former director of Richmond and Henrico Health Districts Dr. Danny Avula, former Richmond City Council president Michelle Mosby, entrepreneur Maurice Neblett and Bridging Virginia founder Harrison Roday.
officials, including Mayor Levar M. Stoney, celebrate the Fall Line Trail groundbreaking Aug. 28 at Bryan Park, while protesters express opposition to the planned route through the historic park. The 43-mile trail will connect Ashland to Petersburg.
Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press
Lynn Wright
Kimberly Conley Jelisa Turner
Folk Festival drops performance schedule for 20th anniversary
Free Press staff report
The Richmond Folk Festival returns for its 20th anniversary Sept. 27 through 29, with a weekend packed with performances, cultural displays and community engagement. The festival, one of Virginia’s largest events, is expected to draw more than 200,000 attendees to Downtown Richmond’s riverfront.
The free, three-day festival features over 30 music and dance groups from around the world performing across six stages. Organizers announced the full schedule of performances this week, promising a blend of returning favorites and new acts to mark two decades of cultural celebration.
Among the highlights are performances in the Virginia Folklife Area, which will explore the African origins of textiles and musical expressions in a presentation curated by the Elegba Folklore Society in partnership with the Virginia Folklife Program. There will be demonstrations of indigo fabric treatments, traditional African music and African American quilts, alongside performances on the 21-string kora and djembe drums.
The Center for Cultural Vibrancy Stage will also feature a variety of performances, including the return of jazz musician Danny Knicely and tap dancer Baakari Wilder, as well as blue-
grass legends Johnny and Jeanette Williams. Richmond’s own Legendary Ingramettes will grace the stage again, delivering their sanctified harmonies to the delight of festival-goers. New to the festival performers, such as Sephardic harmony group Minnush and banjo player Bill Evans, are set to make their debut.
In addition to music, the festival offers a Fam-
Folk Festival hours
• Friday, Sept. 27: 6:30 – 10 p.m.
• Saturday, Sept. 28: 12 – 9:30 p.m.
• Sunday, Sept. 29: 12 – 6 p.m.
ily Area, produced by the Children’s Museum of Richmond, featuring activities such as craft stations, soccer games and a sensory zone hosted by the Autism Society of Central Virginia.
The festival’s community outreach includes school programs, bringing live performances to local students, and a special collaboration between gospel singer Cora Harvey Armstrong and inmates at the Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women.
A highlight of the weekend will be an anniversary parade on Saturday, led by the Tremé Brass Band, stepping off at 5:30 p.m. from the American Civil War Museum.
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severe storm flooded the affected classroom wing hallway.
Richmond Public Schools officials acted quickly after the lightning strike, bringing in contractors that Monday evening to assess the damage. Superintendent Jason Kamras confirmed that the building’s infrastructure remained intact. Following prompt repairs and cleanup, more than 800 students from Cardinal Elementary were given an extended break, with a few extra days off last week, coinciding with the Labor Day weekend.
sponsors. For more information and the
VCU students walk out, assemble
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these and other choices. The anger led to action as some students wrote out messages of support and solidarity in chalk on the sidewalks and steps throughout the plaza, wrote letters to VCU officials about the policies and their concerns, or conversed with fellow students.
In the time since the student encampment in April, VCU has instituted a new policy prohibiting large events or gatherings inside or outside school buildings without prior written approval. New rules also are in place for verbal and non-verbal expressions on VCU property including displays, chalk writing and art.
Those wearing face masks, hoods or coverings that conceal most of their face also are required to present identification when on campus or during campus events. VCU will now also only issue statements
on topics directly connected to the university’s function and mission.
In a press release announcing these changes Aug. 14, VCU Student Affairs Vice President Aaron Hart stressed that these policies are not set in stone and
have the potential to be changed through public input methods that would be shared soon.
“Although the interim policies are effective immediately,” Hart wrote, “the university community will have opportunities to provide feedback during this academic year before they become final.”
Haddad is unconvinced, particularly given the design of the policies, when they were put in place and the impact they’ve already had on protesters’ ability to organize in places previously used for gatherings on campus and the goals of their protests.
“They continue to suppress our voices, continue to silence us through implementing these policies,” Haddad said.
Organizers intend to continue the protests every Wednesday at noon. VCU officials did not provide a response to the protest ahead of Free Press publication.
Cardinal reopens Flying Squirrels to nest in CarMax Park
“It was scary for them. My daughter, she says, ‘Mommy, I need to go to school,” Cardinal Elementary parent Glenda Reye said when she took her two daughters to school the day after the lighting strike, but was turned away by officials. “She [now] feels good. She’s ready.” Kamras said the damaged roof has been fully repaired, along with the interior drying process. However, ceiling tiles and insulation are still being replaced, a task expected to take about a week. In the meantime, second- and third-graders will hold their classes in the gymnasium.
“[The roof] looks brand new,” the superintendent said. “We hope that probably within a week, we’ll be able to be back in classrooms like normal.” Cardinal Elementary’s building is about five years old, though it officially opened in 2020 and remained unused until 2021 due to the pandemic. Dixon called the newer infrastructure “a blessing in disguise” as it made the repair process easier for contractors.
“The structure was built foundationally strong and it allowed [students] to get back to work very quickly,” she said. “That was definitely something that added to the success and the progress.”
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be completed prior to the Flying Squirrels’ 2026 season.
“Our long-term partnership with CarMax allowed our future home to become a reality,” said Lou DiBella, managing general partner of the Flying Squirrels.
CarMax Park will include a 360-degree concourse, a field-level dugout suite, a multi-tiered beer garden, a kids’ zone and several luxury suites. The venue is designed to host concerts, festivals and community gatherings in addition to baseball games. The ballpark also will feature climatecontrolled spaces and public art celebrating Richmond’s history and culture.
Bill Nash, president and CEO of Car-
Max, highlighted the importance of the partnership. “This is an exciting time for Richmond, and CarMax’s naming rights partnership reflects our commitment to our city, its people, and its growth,” Nash said. “CarMax Park will bring the community together through memorable experiences.”
Started in Richmond in 1993, CarMax employs over 2,300 associates in the area and has a history of supporting local sports and community initiatives. The company also supports VCU Basketball, Richmond Kickers and Ivy, University of Richmond Women’s Athletics and Men’s Basketball, Sports Backers and Sportable.
Mayor Levar M. Stoney commented on the impact of the partnership.
“CarMax has a long history of being
committed to its hometown, and Richmond is proud to be home to such an innovative company,” he said. “CarMax Park will bring together all corners of Richmond.”
The Flying Squirrels and CarMax will hold a fan festival to mark the launch of CarMax Park on Friday, Sept. 6, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on the front lawn of The Diamond. The event will include live entertainment, player autographs, giveaways, food vendors and other activities. Attendees will have a chance to win four tickets to the inaugural home game at CarMax Park. The festival is open to the public and does not require a game ticket for entry. The evening will end with a fireworks show following the Flying Squirrels game against the Akron RubberDucks.
Long CoVid’s lasting impact on Richmond residents
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the illness. This included dropping from six to three liters of oxygen for his breathing machine over a two-year period, regular walks through his neighborhood and returning to teaching his karate classes.
Now 80 years old, Coleman’s progress has stalled or reversed in some areas. He typically relies on five liters of oxygen when using a breathing machine daily. The karate classes he taught have paused and he is slowly restarting his walks around his neighborhood. Despite these setbacks, Coleman’s mood remains upbeat.
“His attitude hasn’t changed,” his wife, Charlene Warner Coleman, said. “He’s still kind and sweet and tries to help me as best he can. Can’t ask for any better.” Coleman and Hauser-Long are some of the many in the United States impacted by Long COVID, which has remained under-discussed even as COVID cases have risen recently.
even as physical therapies adapt to the needs of patients.
“[There’s] still room for improvements,” Mento said. “It’s still worthwhile increasing knowledge and awareness on the clinician side of things to improve the care that we provide.”
The need for better support of Long COVID patients is a major concern for Hauser-Long, whose initial struggles were worsened by what she saw as the poor state of medical care in Virginia and lack of understanding around long COVID. It’s one legislators are attempting to address.
A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in February found that 6.4% of adults age 18 or older on average across the United States had experiences similar to Long COVID, with 5.4 to 7.1% of Virginia residents reporting similar experiences. The knowledge gap around Long COVID due to the range of symptoms and limited research has been an ongoing problem for Mento and other medical professionals, stymying progress
Virginia Delegate Delores McQuinn has worked to balance advancing policy in this area, including the COVID-19 Remembrance Day holiday, while she, her daughter, Daytriel, and husband, Jonathan, also manage their own Long COVID symptoms.
While the effects of the illness have lessened since she first talked with the Free Press, McQuinn remains concerned about the financial and emotional toll for those affected by COVID-19, particularly in communities of color. With cases rising again, she spoke of the need to survey communities to both hear their concerns and keep people aware and protected.
“We could do much better as a state,” McQuinn said. “Some things [were] on the back burner, but now that it’s back in our face it’s important for us to look into it and to make sure that people are moving forward.”
U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, whose mild Long
COVID symptoms manifest as nerve tingling, also has been a consistent advocate for Long COVID policies and resources. He noted the need to standardize disability determinations used for Social Security benefits, along with more consistent funding for research and treatment.
“We’re making some progress, but not enough,” Kaine said. “The advocates in this space are not happy with the progress and I understand it.”
For his part, Coleman stressed the importance of COVID-19 measures like face masks, sanitizing and better ventilation for those living with Long COVID. He also noted the value of a positive, “winning attitude,” aided by the support of family and entertainment such as music, in adapting to a life altered by illness.
“That’s what you have to do,” Coleman said. “You have to make up your mind that you’re going to get better.”
Delores McQuinn Tim Kaine
The annual event is produced by Venture Richmond, in partnership with the National Council for the Traditional Arts, Virginia Humani-
ties and other
full schedule of performances, visit richmondfolkfestival.org.
Go-go band Trouble Funk will be among the featured performers at the Richmond Folk Festival later this month.
Photo by Julianne Tripp Hillan
Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press
Leslie Mento, right, a physical therapist at Sheltering Arms’ Bon-Air location is the lead for their Long-COVID program. He helps Joy Hauser-Long, 45, of Blackstone, Va., July 30 with her long-term COVID issues.
Photo by Brian Palmer
Yellowtail butterfly on Abelia shrub at Libby Mill
September 5-7, 2024
Old normal
For many of us, things have returned to a sense of normalcy since the onset of the pandemic in 2020. Big box stores are open late hours again. Concerts and theater shows have returned to event listings. Our schools, churches and restaurants are operating as they have, for the most part, rebuilding a sense of community that was lost when we were all asked to stay indoors, consider ordering our groceries from an app and watch as children became part of an educational experiment called “virtual learning.”
But the new normal isn’t the old normal. The SARSCoV-2 virus is still with us. An NBC news article from Aug. 9 asked, “Is this the biggest Covid summer wave ever?”
“If you just talk about infections, this is probably going to end up becoming the largest summer wave we’ve had,” Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health and former White House COVID-19 response coordinator said in the article. “It’s still not as big as the winter waves, but it is starting to get close.”
If you’re among the older population, unvaccinated or immunocompromised, the number of infections should be a concern. For people in these groups, a bout with COVID-19 could have serious consequences, far beyond missing a few days of work or missing a weekend getaway with friends. Fortunately, fewer people are infected with severe forms of the virus these days and there are treatment options. Yet, there also is still the potential for serious consequences after becoming infected, such as Long COVID, a chronic condition the CDC describes as “a wide range of ongoing symptoms and conditions that can last weeks, months, or even years.”
Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, was interviewed by TIME magazine earlier this year. He described the era that we’re living in, with regard to the jeopardy that some people face in their daily lives compared to others who have “stopped paying attention” to the disease to living in separate timelines.
“Is the pandemic over for some people earlier than it is for others?” Osterholm asked in the March article. “That doesn’t seem to make sense. That’s kind of like saying that there’s two different temperatures in Minneapolis in one night.”
It may not make sense, but that’s where we are. Finding a way to reconcile the experiences of those who have resumed pre-pandemic routines with those who still face significant health risks is a difficult challenge. We can start to address it by keeping up with safety measures and showing empathy for those who are still struggling. The pandemic has impacted us unequally, but a united response to its effects could bring us together.
Unbalanced
It needs to be said – the Republican nominee isn’t being treated fairly by the mainstream media. I think he might agree with that notion, but it’s becoming more and more difficult to predict what the 78-year-old convicted felon might say. There’s been a noticeable dip in the former president’s ability to speak coherently in the last few months. He’s embraced conspiracy theories, made them up on the spot, changed positions on major issues without notice or explanation and lied all over the place. If another candidate had done some of these things, their mental condition would be a news story.
Remember our friend Joe Biden? His debate missteps became a national news story that led him to step down from his campaign. But much of the media is silent when Donald Trump appears to be mentally unraveling on stages and in interviews. His latest rant was against schools that he said provide sex change operations to students.
“Think of it; your kid goes to school, and he comes home a few days later with an operation. The school decides what’s going to happen with your child,” he said.
Of course, these schools don’t exist anywhere, but that’s not the point. The gatekeepers of the mainstream media are under the assumption that the former president is good for business and continue to allow their producers and reporters to pretend these comments are part of the normal political discourse. This is a dangerous narrative that can’t be allowed to continue.
There’s only one way to cancel this frightening reality show the media has helped create – vote.
Have you seen this bench?
Last seen July of 2024, coupled with a Confederate marker in Richmond’s South Side.
If you have any information that could help locate this bench, please contact us at (804) 646-0496.
Human cost of restricting abortion access
During the crack epidemic of the ’80s and ’90s, children exposed to crack cocaine before birth were often referred to as “crack babies.”
For months, hospital nurseries became temporary homes for many babies born to crack users.
and her abandoned child. Fast forward to 2024, what role will current abortion bans play in driving parents to abandon their babies?
At the time, some babies would live in hospitals for as long as three years. A federal study found that about 22,000 babies were left in 1991 by parents unwilling or unable to care for them; Washington, D.C. had the third-highest number of any U.S. city.
“We called it a crisis because the space was just filling up in the nursery,” said Linda Ivey Lewis, who, as an administrator at D.C. General Hospital, was instrumental in opening the boarder baby nursery, where volunteers could come in to hold the infants. “Worst case for me was for them to not be humanized,” she said.
As we look back, one can easily make the connection between a drug-addicted mother
In Harris County, Texas, which includes the Houston area, there were six instances of child abandonment since the beginning of June of this year. In two cases, the child died.
Texas and other states that have near-total abortion bans are now faced with more parents abandoning their children for reasons such as desperation and a lack of information.
In one instance, a baby was left in an apartment complex dumpster. Another was a dumpster outside a restaurant. While investigators are calling it an epidemic, the rise in abandonment in the Houston area illustrates the complexities around the issue of abortion. It highlights the intense and overwhelming responsibility that goes with caring for a newborn baby, a responsibility many mothers and fathers are mentally, emotionally and financially unprepared to meet.
To see any parent treat their child as if it were a piece of trash to be thrown into a dumpster is inhumane. During the crack epidemic, hospital officials were initially unprepared, with delivery wards filled with unwanted babies. Are we faced with a situation where the banning of abortion is the trigger in a new rise of abandoned newborn babies, and in some cases, the abandonment leads to their death? Regardless of whether a person supports or opposes abortion bans, the abortion issue has become too politicized.
The message for pro-life advocates should be clear by now. The motive for politicians like Donald Trump and his running mate is only to do what it takes to get elected. There is no genuine concern for an unborn baby or the desperate situations a new mother or mother-to-be faces. Trump’s shifting stance on abortion issues, such as a federal abortion ban, shows he is feeling the political heat from the Harris campaign.
In other words, there is no unwavering commitment to the pro-life movement, which was a critical voting bloc that helped Trump get elected in
Dems embrace ‘positive masculinity’
In case you somehow haven’t noticed, manhood is on the ballot.
Even before President Biden stepped aside to let Vice President Kamala Harris step up to be the Democrats’ presiden tial nominee, insiders from both parties were calling this the “boys versus girls election.”
And even before the Republican National Con vention opened in Milwaukee in July, spokespeople for Team Trump were telling reporters they hoped to contrast “weak versus strong” as their social media message — and present a stage show as testosteronefueled as a Super Bowl. In that spirit, my most lasting memory from the GOP’s Milwaukee fest is Hulk Hogan’s ruddy red chest exploding across my television screen as he ripped off his T-shirt.
The message? It’s OK to feel comfortable in your own skin, even if not in your own T-shirt, as you try to win the hearts of those manly man voters who are already captivated and contained in the MAGA world.
Then, hard on the heels of Donald Trump’s MAGAs, along came the Democrats in Chicago to challenge the GOP’s hyper masculine chest thumping with their own Hollywood starstudded post-Biden challenge to the polling gender gap. Their message: reproductive rightsdominated inclusivity across all racial and gender lines. Rarely
has an election campaign been so sharply and unashamedly defined by the gender gap.
Of course, considering how the last time the race was so sharply defined by the gender gap may have been 2016, when Hillary Clinton lost to Trump, it was prudent of Harris to pick
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate.
In contrast to the famously bombastic style of Trump, Walz presents what feminists have called “positive masculinity.”
He’s also been predictably slammed by attack campaigns, to limited effect.
Walz spent 24 years in the Army National Guard, having joined at age 17. However, he never served in an active combat zone. Nevertheless, at a public meeting about gun violence in 2018, he said, “We can make sure that those weapons of war that I carried in war is the only place where those weapons are at.”
His use of the phrase “in war” on this one occasion was seized on by Trump’s running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, a Marine veteran who served in Iraq — although not in combat.
The Harris-Walz campaign responded that Walz “misspoke.”
Frankly, as a Vietnam War veteran who also missed combat, I honor both men for serving their country. That service, too, offers an example of positive manhood.
Positive masculinity is an assortment of attitudes and behaviors that build on the qualities positively associated
with traditional masculinity while avoiding its negative aspects, which include thoughtless aggression, domination and violence — behaviors that too often victimize women and girls.
One particularly striking anecdote from Walz’s past might well have sealed the deal in his favor. When he was asked in 1999 to be faculty adviser for his Southern Minnesota high school’s first gay-straight alliance club, Walz, then a geography teacher and football coach, agreed to do it — much to the relief of then-student Jacob Reitan, now 42.
“It was important to have a person who was so well liked on campus, a football coach who had served in the military,” Reitan said in an interview with The New York Times. “Having Tim Walz as the adviser of the gay-straight alliance made me feel safe coming to school.”
Indeed, by doing his duty as an educator in this instance, Walz set an example that may not grab as much attention as, say, ripping his shirt off in front of a national television audience. But as lessons for life go, it’s a lot more valuable.
The meaning and value of manhood are endlessly debated topics, as they should be. They should not be endlessly exploited.
Honor, courage, leadership, honesty, integrity and fairness are just a few of the qualities we should associate with positive manhood. It’s easy to think of more. Unfortunately, it can be a lot harder to live up to them.
The writer is a columnist for the Chicago Tribune.
2016. Now, in 2024, Trump’s stance on abortion may prove to be a political liability in November. Pro-life advocates need to wake up because some GOP candidates will start to back away from the pro-life movement if they conclude it’s a liability to them being elected.
Banning abortion does not make the problem go away. The reality we are facing in society comes down to a simple fact: a person who gets pregnant may not want to have a baby. With or without legal abortion. Prolife advocates have placed too much of their focus on politics and laws rather than meeting a desperate and hurt woman at her place of need.
David W. Marshall founded the faith-based organization TRB: The Reconciled Body and is the author of the book God Bless Our Divided America.
David W. Marshall
Clarence Page
Letters to the Editor/Commentary
Standing firm: Protecting reproductive rights in Richmond
The race for mayor will be filled with critical discussions on many topics: our public schools, neighborhood safety, economic opportunity, the functioning of City Hall and transportation, to name a few. But those issues will be accompanied by some new ones. Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the growing threat to reproductive rights is a national issue, a state issue, and it’s a local issue. It’s a values issue.
From small towns to big cities, we’re seeing tragic consequences: In Texas, a ban that drove Katie Cox to battle the courts, a new ban on abortion passed in Florida, and the attempt to reinstate a law from 1864 that sets back women’s rights by 160 years in Arizona. But the Richmonders that I know won’t let that happen here. They know it’s not enough to say you “support” abortion rights and reproductive freedom, you
have to protect those rights and believe in the right of people to make their own choices.
In 2024, we need to be clear about three things. First, protecting reproductive rights is not some theoretical issue, or one that can be simply “left to states” while ignoring the role of local government. Second, this is about action and values –not the same old rhetoric. And third, in addition to being a human rights and health care issue, protecting abortion rights is critical to our economy.
ban. As mayor, I will stand with those who are fighting to protect this fundamental right, sending a clear message that Richmond is a city where reproductive freedom is valued and defended.
In Virginia, we are the last Southern state where abortion remains legal – but – with one more vote in the General Assembly, opponents of abortion rights could enact an extreme
In recent years, we’ve seen attempts to use local zoning laws to restrict abortion access – from the most blue areas in Fairfax to some red areas in Bristol, Va. That’s why I supported
City Council’s recent decision to approve another health care center location for the Virginia League for Planned Parenthood. Richmonders need to know that their mayor won’t allow our city to lose out on vital health care services including abortion. It will not be tolerated under my watch.
Richmonders deserve a mayor who understands that people’s
views on this issue vary, and I respect that — that’s exactly why I am proudly pro-choice, advocating for the autonomy of individuals to make their own decisions about their bodies and futures. Ensuring access to comprehensive sex education and contraception is essential to empowering individuals to make informed choices about their health. This commitment to reproductive rights aligns with the values of our community — a community that rejects culture wars and out-of-touch politicians imposing their beliefs onto others.
For me, these values don’t come from a textbook, a news article, or a poll. They came from my kitchen table. It was conversations with my family as a kid that taught me the value of this right and the importance of our ongoing American story to expand rights, not constrict them. My mom has been a
dedicated supporter of Planned Parenthood for nearly 50 years. She’s the one who taught me I couldn’t sit on the sidelines. From watching her, I learned that it was my responsibility, even if I wasn’t the one who was going to become pregnant, to stand for these rights. Mom never had to tell me those things. She showed me why it was important to believe in them. It’s not just about politicians making decisions; it’s about women and their healthcare providers having the freedom to make the best choices for themselves.
Reproductive rights are an issue of freedom and health care – but they are also an economic one both for individuals and businesses. Restricting access to reproductive choice removes the freedom for women to make decisions to plan for their family and their livelihood. More broadly, as more people and businesses want to locate in
Richmond, adding to our thriving and diverse community, we can create economic opportunity. The Richmond that we’re building will evaporate if politicians drag local governments into the culture wars. Ensuring that women can make their own choices is right for them – and for our economic development. As we look to Richmond’s future, let us remember that our city’s greatness lies in its commitment to protecting the rights, freedoms, and opportunities of all its residents. Together, we will continue to fight for a Richmond where reproductive rights are not only supported but fiercely defended – because when we protect these rights, we uphold the dignity and autonomy of every individual in our community, and make Richmond a better place to live, work and raise a family. The writer is a candidate for mayor of Richmond.
Building memories and literacy with your grandchildren
It has been 40 years since I last read Dr. Seuss’ “The Foot Book” aloud, but I can still recite it, nearly word for word. That’s because I read it an estimated 83,492 times during my daughter’s earliest years. When kids fall in love with a particular book, they want to hear it again and again. For the grandparent reading this favorite book, it’s good to know that research into how children learn language supports these seemingly un-
ending repetitions. This year, National Grandparents Day will be celebrated on Sept. 8. It’s a great day to spend time reading with your grandchildren. You will be sharing a favorite book, but you’ll also be helping your grandchild learn important
reading skills. Of course, you may be sharing that book repeatedly. Researchers tel l us that children learn words through repeated readings of texts. (Grandparents could tell us that as well.) As your
grandkids hear words again and again, their knowledge of the word will move from never hearing it, to sounds familiar to it has something to do with, to well known. One study even showed that hearing the same words in the same story helped more than hearing the same words in different stories.
This is where “The Foot Book” comes in. (“Wet foot, dry foot, low foot, high foot,” my brain is chiming in.) Repetition helps kids learn. I would tell myself as my daughter would say, “Again!” Young readers need to know how to sound out an unfamiliar word, but the more words they recognize instantly,
John Lewis Act aims to reinvigorate Voting Rights Act
Last week in Chicago, the National Urban League joined with the Brennan Center and Democracy SENTRY for a conversation on voting rights.
ing they would move forward with restrictive voting laws that had been blocked under the preclearance provision.
ernment to dispatch observers to polling places with a noted pattern of discrimination.
the more time they’ll have to figure out what the text means. The ability to read quickly and accurately is one key step in becoming a strong reader.
If you stop while you are reading to discuss what you have just read, you can help your grandchild build background knowledge. “Remember when we went to the zoo and saw the lion?”
Sometimes, the story may include information your grandchild doesn’t know. See if you can learn more. Is there a TV program about alligators? Does your library have a book with pictures?
The way you read can also be a good model for your grandchild. Sometimes you
may need to stop, reread, and then untangle what you’ve just read. You might say, “That long paragraph about crickets didn’t make sense to me. Let’s go back and see if we can read it more slowly to make sure we understand it.” Doing that will give your grandchild permission to do the same thing when they read something they don’t understand. And you’ll create the expectation that we read so we can understand what we have read. Read widely. This fall, as election news fills the airwaves, help your grandchildren learn more about pioneering lawmakers like John Lewis and Barack Obama by looking for biographies written just for kids. Your local librarian can point you to a book that should work. Of course, repetition is not limited to books. Ask any grandparent who has watched “Moana” for the 271st time. Kids seem to be hard-wired to enjoy things over and over. And don’t worry—eventually, new favorites will replace the old. Something else will capture your grandchild’s attention and you’ll find yourself reading it over and over. The writer is a former teacher and delegate to the Virginia General Assembl y This column is excerpted from her forthcoming book “The Grandparent Effect, ” which will be published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2025.
“One of the first things I want to do, should we have the presidency and keep the majority, is change the rules and enact both the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Act,” keynote speaker Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said.
He later told reporters, “This is vital to democracy. This is not just another extraneous issue. This is the wellspring of it all.”
The sentiment was echoed by Vice President Kamala Harris in her acceptance speech, when she noted that among the “fundamental freedoms” at stake in the election is “the freedom that unlocks all the others: the freedom to vote.”
When the Supreme Court stripped the preclearance provision from the Voting Rights Act, Chief Justice John Roberts argued that “the conditions that originally justified these measures no longer characterize voting in the covered jurisdictions.”
Within hours, lawmakers in Texas and Alabama proved how wrong he was, announc-
The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act would update the preclearance formula that Roberts called “outdated,” reinvigorating the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and strengthening legal protections against
Marc H. Morial
racially motivated voter suppression.
Some changes would require preclearance nationwide, such as creating at-large districts or changing jurisdiction boundaries in places with large populations of color, imposing stricter documentation or ID requirements to vote, making it easier to purge voters of color from the rolls or significantly reducing the opportunity to vote in communities of color.
Other provisions of the John Lewis Act include:
•Making Election Day a public holiday.
•Expanding voter registration, including same-day and automatic registration.
•Expanding early voting and vote-by-mail options.
•Requiring public announcement of voting changes at least 180 days before an election.
•Enabling the federal gov-
•Make it a criminal offense to “corruptly hinder, interfere with, or prevent another person from registering to vote or helping someone register to vote.”
Since the Shelby decision, states have added at least 100 restrictive voting laws. Voters in almost half the country will face new voting restrictions this fall. And if the architects of the extremist Project 2025 have their way, voting rights will be even further eviscerated. The Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice would be eliminated. The FBI would be prohibited from combating the spread of disinformation, which has given rise to electionrelated violence and harassment of election workers.
Next year marks the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act. Will we meet that anniversary proudly, having honored the promises of the Act? Or will those promises lie shattered at our feet?
The writer is president of the National Urban League.
Harrison Roday
Kristen J. Amundson
Mahomes, Chiefs fast forward to season opener
By Dave Skretta The Associated Press
The Kansas City Chiefs insist they are not thinking about last year’s opener against Detroit, when they celebrated their latest Super Bowl triumph with a flag-raising ceremony and were promptly beaten by the Lions.
Patrick Mahomes is chief among them.
The three-time Super Bowl MVP had by far the worst Week 1 performance of his career that night, completing barely more than 50% of his passes for just 226 yards with his fewest touchdown passes (two) and first interception in six season openers.
Makes sense that Mahomes has tried to wash away his memory of the Lions with the Baltimore Ravens awaiting him Thursday night
“I don’t think last year’s too much on your mind,” Mahomes said. “You’re so focused on trying to get better, and we’re playing the best of the best Week 1. We’re going to see where we’re at. We’re going to have to go out there and play our best football early in the season. All we can do is go out there and be our best.”
That is more the norm for Mahomes in Week 1 — the best of his best — and it is an exceedingly high bar. He had never lost a season opener until running into Detroit, winning his first five as the starting quarterback in Kansas City. He had completed at least 75% of his passes in four of those games, averaged 308 yards and thrown for 18 TD passes without a pick.
He was just 21 of 39 for 226 yards in the
21-20 loss to the Lions.
“You don’t want to get pushed around. I think that’s the biggest thing,” Mahomes said of Week 1 games, and playing the Ravens in particular. “Whenever you play teams like this, you want to make sure you match their physicality. We’re fast, and we’ve got guys that run around, but we pride ourselves on being physical as well, so it’s going to be a great challenge, man.”
Something else that Mahomes tries not to think about: his place in history.
He’s completed more passes for more yards and more touchdown passes than any quarterback in NFL history though 96 starts, and every game he seems to climb another historical chart.
One big step will likely come Thursday night, when Mahomes — with 28,424 yards passing — needs just 84 to pass Hall of Famer Len Dawson for the career franchise record.
“It’s a little bit different game now with the passing the way it is,” Chiefs Coach Andy Reid said, “but he has so much respect for Len before Len passed. They had a relationship there. They talked. The game’s just — it’s a little different. There’s just a little bit more passing that goes on now. At the college — all levels really, you start at the little kid’s level and on up through high school and college, and the ball is being thrown more. It’s a compliment to Pat because he does it the right way.
“As great as he is,” Reid said, “he’s a humble guy and respects the things that happened before him. He gets it.”
Mahomes tends to rise to the occasion, the bigger the game the bigger his performance. It’s a big reason why the two-time NFL MVP has led the Chiefs to six consecutive AFC championship games, reached four Super Bowls and won three of them.
That includes this past season, when the Chiefs had to beat the Ravens on the road to win their latest conference title.
And while nobody mistakes Week 1 for the playoffs, the spotlight nevertheless shines a little more brightly than typical games. The Chiefs will once again raise a championship banner Thursday night, and the eyes of the NFL will fall squarely on Arrowhead Stadium for the game that raises the curtain on the regular season.
Roadrunners fall to DC Cyclones, but make playoffs
Free Press staff report
The Richmond Roadrunners closed out their 2024 regular season with a tough 100-58 loss to the DC Cyclones on Saturday, Aug. 31, at Henrico High School. Despite battling numerous injuries and personnel challenges, the Roadrunners finished the season with a 4-4 record and have qualified for the first round of the playoffs.
Facing the Cyclones, the Roadrunners kept pace early but struggled in the second half. Richmond trailed by 18 points at halftime, 62-29, and couldn’t mount a comeback, ultimately falling
short. The Women’s American Basketball Association’s unique scoring system, which awards extra points for steals in the backcourt, created additional pressure as several DC Cyclones’ baskets turned into higher-value scoring plays.
Andrea Barbour led the Roadrunners with 19 points, eight rebounds, and foyr assists, while Kyah Proctor from the Cyclones topped all scorers with 25 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists. The Cyclones shot 43.5% from the field and out-rebounded Richmond 57-49.
The Roadrunners’ 2024 season has been an uphill battle after an 8-1 record in 2023. Two key players suffered ACL
injuries—one at the start of the season and one in recent back-to-back away games. The team also lost a point guard to personal reasons, leaving Richmond to compete with only seven to eight players in the latter half of the season.
“Our season has been challenging,” Head Coach Barvenia Wooten stated after the game. Now, the Roadrunners shift focus to the playoffs, where they will face the Maryland Sparks in a single-elimination game 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7, in Baltimore. With the opportunity to regroup, Richmond will look to make a strong postseason run.
“It’s just a great opportunity for the guys, to see what it’s like to be on the biggest stage,” Mahomes said. “You want to play in the Super Bowl at the end of the year, but this is a big stage as well.”
Flying Squirrels’ final homestand against Akron
Free Press staff reports
The Richmond Flying Squirrels began their final homestand of the season Tuesday night with a game against the Akron RubberDucks at The Diamond. Left-hander John Michael Bertrand (6-8, 4.50 ERA) started for Richmond, while Akron sent righthander Tommy Mace (8-5, 3.75 ERA) to the mound.
The Flying Squirrels will continue their series against Akron on Friday, Sept. 6, at 6:35 p.m., and Saturday, Sept. 7, at 6:05 p.m. Friday’s game will feature a Groundbreaking Day Fan Fest celebrating the future construction of the team’s new stadium. Festivities will start at 5 p.m. and include a commemorative baseball card giveaway, live DJ, photo booth, food and player autographs.
VUU shatters records in 69-7 rout of Kentucky State
Free Press staff report
Virginia Union unleashed a record-breaking offensive onslaught in a 69-7 defeat of Kentucky State to kick off the 2024 football season Saturday.
The Panthers amassed 674 offensive yards, obliterating their previous school record of 623 set against Norfolk State in 1992. This dominant performance showcased VUU’s potent offense and set a high bar for the season ahead.
Star running back Jada Byers carved his name deeper into VUU lore, rushing for 211 yards. The performance catapulted Byers into second place on the Panthers’ all-time rushing list, leapfrogging Bobby Phillips. Only Andre Braxton now stands ahead of Byers in the record books. While the offense dazzled, VUU’s defense proved equally formidable. The Panthers stonewalled Kentucky State’s attack, conceding a mere 90 total yards. The defensive unit etched its own place in school history when Donald Gatling and Jalen Mayo returned interceptions for touchdowns on back-to-back plays — a feat never before accomplished by VUU. Gatling’s 46-yard sprint to the end zone was immediately followed by Mayo’s 25-yard pick-six, sending the Panthers’ sideline into a frenzy.
“Our guys played really well today,” said VUU Head Football Coach Dr. Alvin Parker. “Everybody on offense got to play and make a contribution. We played a lot of guys today and a lot of guys got dirty. All of them made contributions and I’m really happy about that. Anytime you can run up some numbers, it shows how everybody has bought into the system.”
The Panthers’ commanding victory sends a clear message to their rivals as they prepare for their next challenge. Virginia Union will look to maintain this momentum as they travel to Hampton for a 6 p.m. kickoff next Saturday, aiming to build on their impressive season opener.
Virginia State stuns Benedict College 23-7
Free Press staff report
Virginia State University upset Benedict College 23-7 in the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic on Sunday, ending the Tigers’ 20-game regular season winning streak.
Benedict (0-1) struck first after recovering their own blocked field goal attempt for a touchdown. The unusual play occurred when a Virginia State player touched the blocked kick beyond the line of scrimmage, allowing Benedict to legally recover it in the end zone.
Virginia State (1-0) quickly responded with two explosive plays. Quarterback Rhett Williams connected with Kevin Gayles for a 51-yard touchdown pass, followed by Jimmyll Williams’82-yard touchdown run. A successful field goal drive extended the Trojans’ lead to 16-7 by halftime.
The Trojans’ defense made a crucial play late in the second quarter when Cameron Davis forced a fumble with a strip sack, recovered by Akhari Haggard at Benedict’s 49-yard line. However, the Tigers’ defense held firm, preventing any
additional scoring before the break.
J. Williams scored again in the third quarter, pushing Virginia State’s lead to 23-7. An hourlong rain delay followed, disrupting Benedict’s attempts to mount a comeback.
The Trojans’ defense dominated the second half, forcing two interceptions by Carl Poole Jr. and Jeffrey Wilson. They held Benedict to just 233 total yards for the game. In the fourth quarter, Poole’s diving interception at the VSU 44-yard line thwarted a promising Tigers drive. Wilson’s subsequent pick further solidified the Trojans’ control.
J. Williams led all rushers with 150 yards on 23 carries. Gayles finished with 75 receiving yards and a touchdown, while R. Williams completed 13 passes for 197 yards.
Benedict’s final opportunity was cut short as the VSU defense forced a turnover on downs, effectively sealing the victory.
Virginia State faces a short week as they prepare to play in-state rival Norfolk State on Saturday, Sept. 7. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m.
AP Photo/Ed Zurga
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws a pass against the Detroit Lions during an NFL preseason football game Aug. 17 in Kansas City, Mo.
James Haskins
Jenna Nelson of the Richmond Roadrunners drives around DC Cyclones’ Nequoiah Anderson at Henrico High School on Aug. 31. The Roadrunners fell short but made the playoffs.
Courtesy Virginia State University
Virginia State upset Benedict College at BCFHOF Classic.
Since the 1990s, gentrification has targeted inner city neighborhoods, particularly those with lower income populations. This trend isn’t limited to major U.S. cities; Richmond also has experienced its impact, where new development often takes precedence over preservation.
Most apparent are the demographic shifts of gentrification — increasing white populations and decreasing black populations. According to the U.S. Census, Richmond’s black population was just over 50% in 2010 but fell to 40.5% by 2020 while the white population grew by 31% by 2020.
Reduced crime, improved infrastructure and job opportunities are often touted as benefits of gentrification. The adverse effects — lack of affordable housing and displacement of long-term residents — highlight the racial inequities of gentrification in South Side, Church Hill, Jackson Ward and Carver. New development and new residents erase the cultural landscape of these historically black neighborhoods.
As a longtime resident of Carver, Jerome Legions, Jr. has a deep personal connection to the neighborhood. He has witnessed firsthand how gentrification has led to the demolition of older structures and the erasure of the spirit of his historically black neighborhood. His passion for preserving the history of Carver is evident in his efforts to save the Moore Street School, a national and Virginia-registered landmark.
“Carver is a historically middle class African American neighborhood,” Legions said. “We need to preserve our history. If we don’t save those buildings, you’ll never know we were here.”
Legions is passionate about preserving the community feel of his neighborhood. Frustrated by Black flight, he believes the Black community in Richmond
Personality: Jerome Legions Jr.
Spotlight on the Moore Street School Foundation board president
isn’t committed to protecting the historical value of Black neighborhoods.
“Black people either don’t want to move to Carver or can’t move to Carver,” he said. “We couldn’t find the money to renovate our grandmother’s house, but we found the money to move to Brandermill, Chesterfield, Henrico or Hanover.”
Meet the Moore Street School Foundation Board President, working to preserve the history of his community and this week’s Personality, Jeroe Legions Jr.: Volunteer roles: I am president of Moore Street School Foundation, president of Carver Area Civic Improvement League, acting chair of Richmond City Democratic Committee, Secretary of Embrace Carver Elementary School and president of Richmond Citizens Coalition.
Occupation: I’m semi-retired. I was a benefits analyst at Blue Cross Blue Shield and have a lawn care business.
Date and place of birth: I was born on Aug. 9 in Philadelphia.
Where you live now: The Carver/Sheep Hill Community.
Education: Virginia Union University, majoring in English.
What is the Moore Street School Foundation? We are a 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to rehabilitate and preserve the decaying Moore Street School into a performing arts training center for all ages and create an event and meeting place.
When Moore Street School Foundation founded and by whom: It was founded on March 24, 2021, by Jerome Legions, Mark Dray, Kim
Gray, James Pickren and Nell Meshcheryakov.
History of Moore Street School: The school, a unique testament to the post-Civil War era, was built between 1886 and 1887 as a 16-classroom, twostory brick school by the City of Richmond. It was a pioneering effort to provide education for African American children in the neighborhood of Brook Avenue. Five schools were constructed at that time, but it’s the only one still standing, along with Stonewall Jackson School in The Fan.
Architectural structure of Moore Street: It was finished in the Italianate style, with a combination of wood framing and load-bearing brick masonry. The building is a beautiful structure designed by Colonel Wilfred Emory Cutshaw. It retains excellent exterior and interior integrity. The interior of Moore Street School still contains its original plaster walls, wood floors, detailed trim, paneled
doors and high, pressed tin ceilings.
Location of Moore
Street School: It’s in the 1100 block of Moore Street, attached to Carver Elementary School.
When it closed: Until approximately 1999.
Building ownership: Richmond Public Schools.
Why it is vacant: I speculate that with the maintenance requirements, RPS decided to surplus the building.
RPS’ plans for the historic building: They are negotiating with the Moore Street School Foundation.
When you became involved with the Moore Street School Foundation: As the civic association president, it was necessary to preserve and program this building instead of having it deteriorate.
When and why you accepted position of board president: I talked with people who agreed that the building was worth saving for historical and architectural value. I felt that I needed to take a go at it. Because it was my idea, I was voted to be the president.
Length of term: It hasn’t been determined. However, I think the board will keep me on as president until there is some solid movement in the restoration efforts.
No. 1 goal: We want to fully rehabilitate the building and keep as much of the architectural details intact.
Strategy for achieving that goal: The board members — Mark Olinger, David Thalhimer, Nell Meshcheryakov,
Robbie Rhur, John Mitchell, Nick Cooper and Bill Harrison — meet monthly to discuss strategies, fundraising, restoration, legal concerns, programming, marketing and operations.
No. 1 challenge facing Moore Street School Foundation: The restoration of the building and programming of the building as The Jazz Center at Moore Street School.
There have been several fundraising concerts, but we need to get the word out. We just received a grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts that will help greatly.
Moore Street School Foundation is reimagining use for the historic building: The Jazz Center at Moore Street School. The concept designs call for classrooms to house a music program, office, meeting and event space. The design also includes an outdoor classroom/ event space. Also included in the current design is a cafe/gift shop, and a repository for the archives of the Carver/Sheep Hill community.
Partners with the Moore Street School Foundation: Roller Bottimore and Historic Richmond have been supporting partners by providing financial support and contacts. We also receive support from the Department of Historic Resources.
Building recognition: The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and on the Virginia Landmarks Register. In 2023, the building made Preservation Virginia’s Most Endangered Historic Places.
Importance of preservation of this historic building as a chapter in Richmond’s Black
history and the city’s collective history: When I tell the story of the Carver/Sheep Hill community, the narrative is that this area is historically a middleworking-class neighborhood with a strong African American experience. That experience is reaching its sunset. I know it sounds a little gloomy, but 75% of the neighborhood is investment property, and I am willing to bet that the 25% is the African Americans aging in place. Therefore, it is paramount that landmarks be salvaged, preserved and programmed to tell the story of places that nurtured the residents as well as provided opportunities to survive and thrive.
How to get involved with the Moore Street Foundation: Attend events, donate, sponsor! Find out more about how you can help at moorestreetschool. org.
Upcoming events: We have a couple of mini concert fundraisers taking place featuring Mingee Jang on Sept. 7, Quentin Walston on Oct. 12, and Phoenix Everlast Bank on Dec. 7. Dream dinner party guest: Patti LaBelle, heck it is a dream dinner party, right? She would show up with a suitcase full of spices and we would be up in the kitchen peeling sweet potatoes and singing “On My Own,” “New Attitude” and “You Are My Friend.” Best late-night snack: Pineapple.
Something you love to do that most people would never imagine: Teach Aikido. I have an amazing group of fellow Aikido practitioners.
A quote that inspires me: “Never give up a chance to shut up.” That has been my New Year’s resolution for the last three years.
Most influential book: “The Code of the Samurai” by A. L. Sadler. It talks about using your time on Earth wisely.
Virginia Home Grown As VPM’s longest running program, “Virginia Home Grown” enriches growers and gardeners of all levels by connecting to new voices and fresh ideas while highlighting the unique richness of gardens and natural ecosystems throughout Virginia.
Photo Courtesy of Monica Pedynkowski
EcoFest comes to James A. Buzzard River Education Center
Free Press staff reports
The James River Association will host its first James River EcoFest on Sept. 7, offering a day of river-based activities and environmental education.
The event, scheduled from 1 to 6 p.m., will take place at the recently opened James A. Buzzard River Education Center at 2528 Dock St. in Richmond.
EcoFest will feature free paddle tours, trips aboard JRA’s education boat “Spirit of the James,” a rain barrel workshop, and tree giveaways. Several local nonprofit organizations, including the Capital Trail Foundation and Peter Paul Development Center, will participate.
The event will serve as an open house for the Buzzard River Education Center, which
opened in July. The facility aims to provide environmental education for students in the Greater Richmond area and improved river access for visitors.
According to the JRA, the event is a celebration of the James River Watershed, inviting the community to learn about local ecology and discover sustainable practices they can apply in their own backyards.
Parking and shuttle transportation will be available at Stone Brewing, located at 4300 Williamsburg Ave.
The EcoFest is sponsored by the Robins Foundation, ReMax, Troutman Pepper and Whitten Brothers Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram of Richmond.
Organizers encourage attendees to register in advance for special activities through the JRA website at jamesriver.org.
Local talent takes center stage at RVA East End Festival
Free Press staff report
The RVA East End Festival has announced its lineup for Sept. 21, featuring headliners Victor Haskins Trio and James “Saxsmo” Gates. The free, family-friendly event will run from noon to 9 p.m. at Chimborazo Park.
Richmond’s Celebration Male Chorus with selected young men from the 7th District will open the festival at noon, followed by kindergarten and first grade singers from Bellevue Elementary School.
The schedule also includes the Dap Mallory Band, Armstrong High School Dancers and Drumline, Chamber En -
sembles of the Richmond Symphony, student violinist Isaac Wilson, No BS! Brass Band, DJ Adapt, Sounds Funny Band and Just Us Band.
Free bus shuttle rides will be available throughout the day from various East End locations.
The festival is sponsored by Bon Secours Richmond Health System, with partners including the City of Richmond and the Richmond Symphony.
For more information, visit the festival’s facebook page.
The Rev. Marilyn Heckstall, 2024 festival chair, praised the event’s lineup. “Where else but the RVA East End Festival can you see some of Richmond’s most celebrated music talent in one place, and at no charge for individuals and families to enjoy,” she said. Since 2016, the festival has raised over $458,000 to support music, visual arts, and performing arts programs East End Richmond Public Schools. Past proceeds from the festival have been used by the RPS Education Foundation to acquire or repair musical instruments, create a dance studio at Armstrong High School, purchase new pianos, buy choral risers, concert attire and visual arts supplies. The festival’s financial goal for 2024 is $300,000.
Award-winning author Meg Medina to speak at VCU
Free Press staff report
Meg Medina, a celebrated author and the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, will give a lecture at Virginia Commonwealth University this month. Medina, who won the John Newbery Medal in 2019, will discuss creative storytelling and its role in sharing culture and broadening perspectives.
The event, titled “Meg and Me: An Evening with Meg Medina,” is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 17, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the James Branch
Cabell Library Lecture Hall Room 303, located at 901 Park Ave. The evening will also feature SJ Sindu, a Sri Lankan-American novelist and assistant professor in VCU’s Department of English. Medina, born to Cuban immigrants and raised in Queens, N.Y., has a background in communication arts and English from Hunter College and Queens College. After working in publishing and teaching in New York,
Meg Medina
VMHC hosts history symposium
Free Press staff report
The Virginia Museum of History & Culture hosts the Conrad M. Hall Symposium for Virginia History 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 7. The event, designed for historians and the public, will offer a full day of presentations centered on the theme of Creation/Creating.
Attendees will hear from over 40 experts across 16 panels, covering diverse topics including Virginia’s contributions to World War I, African American spirituals, podcasting, the Rosenwald Schools and the history of Virginia’s highway marker program. The symposium will feature a keynote lecture by awardwinning historian Elizabeth R. Varon, who will discuss “Remaking Southern Identity in Reconstruction-Era Virginia: The Strange Careers of Elizabeth Van Lew, Joseph T. Wilson, and James Longstreet.”
Varon, the associate director of UVA’s John L. Nau III
Center for Civil War History, is known for her books “Southern Lady, Yankee Spy: The True Story of Elizabeth Van Lew, A Union Agent in the Heart of the Confederacy” and “Armies of Deliverance: A New History of the Civil War.” Her latest book, “Longstreet: The Confederate General Who Defied the South,” received the inaugural American Battlefield Trust Prize for History in 2024.
The event also will include tailored museum experiences and a reception for guests to connect and reflect on the day’s discussions.
“Creation is the driving
force behind any great society, and Virginia is no exception,” said James Herrera-Brookes, VMHC’s Melanie Trent De Schutter library director. “This year’s theme invites us to explore the creative spirits, innovators, and visionaries who have left an indelible mark on Virginia’s history through imagination, innovation, and collaboration.”
Tickets to the event include museum admission, the keynote lecture, all panel discussions and the evening reception. Preregistration is required. For a full list of speakers and events, or to purchase tickets, visit VirginiaHistory.org/Symposium
she moved to Florida and pursued a career as a freelance journalist before relocating to Richmond in 1998 to focus on fiction writing.
ELIZABETH S. D. ENGELHARDT
Boardinghouse Women: How Southern Keepers, Cooks, Nurses, Widows, and Runaways Shaped Modern America
As the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, Medina has been a leading advocate for the importance of literature in literacy, education and youth development. She is the first Latina to hold this position in the program’s history. Medina’s works often draw from her personal experiences, exploring themes such as immigration, separation and financial hardship, while highlighting the strength found in Latino families. Her acclaimed middle-grade novel, “Merci Suárez Changes Gears,” won the Newbery Medal and is among several honors
Tickets for the event, which supports the Friends of VCU Libraries Scholarship Fund, are $35 each, with tables for eight available for $500. To register, visit support.vcu.edu/event/ medina. Seating is limited.
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Thurs., Sept. 12 | 6:00–7:30 p.m.
Library of Virginia Lecture Hall | Free A book signing will follow the talk. Registration is required: lva.virginia.gov/public/weinstein
Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press
The James A. Buzzard River Education Center is the site of the first James River EcoFest, on Sept. 7.
Photo courtesy East End Festival
The Victor Haskins Trio are among the lineup of local talent for the RVA East End Festival at Chimborazo Park on Sept. 21.
Elizabeth R. Varon
Pioneering VSU Historian Lucious Edwards Jr. dies at 80
By George Copeland Jr.
Virginia State University lost a luminary figure last week with the death of VSU archivist and professor Lucious Edwards Jr. at the age of 80 on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024. His death marked the end of decades of work at the college and elsewhere.
“Dr. Edwards was a deeply rooted member of the VSU community, even beyond his 36 years of service,” VSU President Makola M. Abdullah said in a statement. “Anytime he was on our campus, it was as if a part of VSU history was walking among us.” Edwards had been part of VSU’s history since
By Adelle Banks Religion News Service
Jason Shelton has made a deep scholarly dive into the world of the Black church.
But not everything in his new book, “The Contemporary Black Church: The New Dynamics of African American Religion,” was learned at the University of Texas at Arlington, where Shelton is a sociologist. He drew as well from his experience growing up in Black churches, in his familial home in Ohio and in Los Angeles — at United Methodist, Church of God in Christ, African Methodist Episcopal and nondenominational churches — and searching as an adult for the right spiritual space for his family.
“It was important to me to find a thriving Black Methodist congregation that I could raise my daughters in, and my wife and I had a difficult time,” he said in a recent interview.
“Here we are in (the DallasFort Worth area), and it’s hard to find a young congregation that’s thriving, where I feel like my daughters can develop their own memories and find bonds with other kids, and we can be with other young families. And so that really made me realize there’s a story here to be told about religion in Black America.”
Shelton, 48, who also is the director of UTA’s Center for African American Studies, talked with RNS about religious differences in Black America, the effects of “disestablishment” on Black churches and whether the “spiritual but not religious” can be reclaimed by them. Following are excerpts from that talk:
For years, experts such as Eddie Glaude have asked if the Black church is dead. As you look at the numbers, do you agree or disagree?
I wouldn’t say that it is dead, but certain denominations are in a lot of trouble — that Black Methodist tradition I’ve called home is in a lot of trouble.
his childhood. Born on Dec. 4, 1943, in Ettrick to Lucious Edwards Sr. and Gracie Harris Edwards, he received early education at the Matoaca Laboratory School at VSU, then known as Virginia State College.
Following his graduation from Peabody High School in 1963, Edwards earned degrees across a wide range of universities, including bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history from Virginia State College.
For decades, Edwards balanced work as a
I’d say the Baptists are also a tradition that has to look and see some trouble down the road. On the flip side, I would say the Holiness Pentecostal tradition in Black America has always been small, but it’s held its ground over the decades. The Black Catholic tradition, always been small, but held its ground. So is the Black church dead? It really depends on which traditions we’re talking about.
What do you see as the main difference between the mainline African American Protestants and the evangelical African American Protestants?
These are Black folks who are believers, and on a Sunday, how they think about, practice their faith, oftentimes are still very similar in orientation. That being said, (some) Black Methodists seem to be a lot more open on LGBT issues, whereas we know the AME (African Methodist Episcopal) tradition is very clear, uh-uh, that’s not a line clergy are ready to cross.
The four traditions in today’s world that comprise the heart of the contemporary Black church are the Baptists, the Methodists, the Holiness Pentecostals and the nondenoms. Of the four of those, the nondenoms are more likely to vote for a Republican presidential candidate. That’s a big break from what we’ve seen in the past.
You describe the “Third Disestablishment in Black America.” What does it mean for the Black church?
You’re seeing these young people, particularly millennials, moving away from organized religion in very strong numbers.
The baby boomers held on. It started with my generation in the late 1990s, those Gen Xers. But now with the millennials, it’s moving and taking big jumps forward in terms of the number of African Americans who are not affiliating with organized religion.
You cited hopes of Christians you interviewed for changes that could help draw more young people back to church. Can you give an example?
One of them was to remove status barriers within the church, the classic idea that a pastor wears the robe. Less formality was one of those things. Another one of those things, which a lot of people emphasized, was giving leadership opportunities to 30-somethings.
I can tell you, in my own personal life, part of the reason that we picked the church we did is that a lot of those things are happening. We don’t call our pastor “Reverend,” we call him Derek. There are a lot of young people in leadership. Grandmama is on the usher board too, but there are a lot of younger people that are engaged and a part of it as well. Those are the kinds of things that, particularly, folks have found welcoming.
What worries you most about the state of the contemporary Black church?
Who speaks for the poor?
The Black church has spoken for the poor. As the church declines, we’re not only losing the most important institutional anchor we’ve had, we’re also losing an important political and social institution that helped to try to force America to say “Here’s the counterpoint to everything is fine and great. No. Look over here. There’s more work to be done.”
university archivist and adjunct professor of history at VSU. He also chaired the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference, was a consultant for the archives of the University of Ilorin in Nigeria, published scholarly papers and worked on various historical projects.
African American history in Virginia was a particular focus of Edwards’ work and research, making him a frequent choice for speeches and lectures on African American, local and Virginia history.
Outside of his work, Edwards was a committed family man and community member. He was part of the Virginia Students Civil Rights Committee as a young adult, participating in efforts across the state, and helped preserve the legacy of the Virginia Interscholastic Association as vice chair
of the VIA Heritage Association.
In quieter moments of his life, Edwards enjoyed organic gardening, collecting books, and reading. He also had a passion for classical music, jazz and the sounds of Motown. Edwards was preceded in death by his parents and sister Barbara Marsh. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy Page, daughters Bronwyn Page Mosley and Lucinda Edwards Chamberlain, and six grandchildren.
“Dr. Edwards didn’t just record our history — he lived it, shared it, and ensured that future generations would understand the profound impact of this great institution,” Abdullah said. “His absence leaves a void, but his influence will remain a guiding force for all of us who strive to carry on his work.”
A funeral will be held noon Saturday, Sept. 14, at the Children’s Home of Virginia Baptist Ritchey Multipurpose Center on 6900 Hickory Road, South Chesterfield.
Lucious Edwards Jr.
Jason Shelton
8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667
virGiNiA: cOUNTY OF HENricO circUiT cOUrT commonwealth of virginia, in re Kalon Joseph Breaux v. LaSheenia Nicole (Goodnight) Breaux case No. cL24-5056 OrDEr OF PUBLicATiON
The object of this suit is to: OBTAIN A DIVORCE A VINCuLLO MATRIMONII OR FROM THE BONDS OF MATRIMONY ON THE GROuNDS OF A ONE YEAR SEPARATION PuRSuANT TO §20-91.
It appearing from an affidavit that diligence has been used without effect, by or on the behalf of the plaintiff to ascertain in what county or city defendant is; and the last known address of the Defendant is as follows: L/K/A 7212 Walking Horse Dr. Mechanicsville, VA 23111. It is ORDERED that LaSheenia Nicole (Goodnight) Breaux appear at the abovenamed court and protect bis/her interests on or before October 21, 2024 at 9:00 a.m.
virGiNiA: iN THE circUiT cOUrT FOr THE cOUNTY OF HANOvEr DArLiN OrOZcO ricArDO, Plaintiff v. JASON LEMUS rUiZ, Defendant. case No.: cL24002003-00
OrDEr OF PUBLicATiON
The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce from the bond of matrimony from the defendant on the ground of living separate and apart without any cohabitation and without interruption for a period exceeding twelve months.
It is ORDERED that the defendant, who has been served with the Complaint by posted service appear here on or before the 7th day of October, 2024, and protect his interests.
A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Law Office of Dorothy M. Eure, P.C.
Dorothy M. Eure, Plaintiff’s Attorney VSB# 27724
8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667
virGiNiA: iN THE circUiT cOUrT FOr THE cOUNTY OF HANOvEr DArriAN ricHArDSON, Plaintiff v. KiANA ricHArDSON, Defendant. case No.: cL24002435-00
OrDEr OF PUBLicATiON
The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce from the bond of matrimony from the defendant on the ground of living separate and apart without any cohabitation and without interruption for a period exceeding twelve months.
It is ORDERED that the defendant, whose whereabouts appear here on or before the 1st day of October, 2024 and protect her interests.
A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Law Office of Dorothy M. Eure, P.C. Dorothy M. Eure, Plaintiff’s Attorney VSB# 27724 8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667
virGiNiA: iN THE circUiT cOUrT FOr THE cOUNTY OF HANOvEr KiMBErLY TiLLAr Plaintiff v. TrAviS SKiNNEr, Defendant. case No.: cL24001886-00
OrDEr OF PUBLicATiON
The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce from the bond of matrimony from the defendant on the ground of living separate and apart without any cohabitation and without interruption for a period exceeding twelve months.
It is ORDERED that the defendant, who has been served with the Complaint by posted service appear here on or before the 24th day of September, 2024 and protect his interests.
A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Dorothy M. Eure, Plaintiff’s Counsel VSB# 27724 The Law Office of Dorothy M. Eure, P.C. 8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667
cUSTODY
virGiNiA: HANOvEr circUiT cOUrT 7530 cOUNTY cOMPLEx rOAD, HANOvEr, vA 23069 DESTiNY NicOLE MEADE v DESTiNY NicOLE SMiTH case No. cL24002387-00
OrDEr OF PUBLicATiON The object of this suit is to: Application for name
change of Destiny Meade. It is ORDERED that Elisha Joe Meade appear at the above named court and protect his/her interests on or before OCOTBER 1, 2024 at 11:00 a.m.
PrOPErTY
virGiNiA: iN THE circUiT cOUrT OF THE ciTY OF ricHMOND civil Action No. cL24-2941 JOHN JErOME HArriS, Sr. and GiLA SWAYZENE HArriS, Plaintiffs, v. DAviD PHiLLiP BAKEr BrENDA BAKEr rOrY BAKEr JOrDAN,
GLAScOE A. BAKEr iii SErvE: Office of the Secretary of the commonwealth and by Order of Publication and KArL JErOME HArriS and ELiZABETH HArriS SErvE: by Order of Publication and and UNKNOWN HEirS OF WiLLiAM E. ArcHEr SErvE: by Order of Publication and The Unknown heirs, descendants, devisees, assigns, and/or successors in title to William E. Archer, if any there be, the consorts or any of said unknown heirs who are married, the lien creditors of said unknown heirs, if any, and other persons who may have an interest in the subject matter of this suit, or may have an interest or claim an interest in the property which is the subject matter of this suit and who are made parties hereto by the general caption “PArTiES UNKNOWN” Defendants.
OrDEr OF PUBLicATiON
The object of this suit is to sell a certain parcel of real property situated in the City of Richmond, being originally owned by Jordan Austin more particularly described as follows: ALL that certain lot, piece or parcel of land with all improvements thereon and appurtenances thereunto belonging, lying and being in the City of Richmond, formerly Chesterfield County, Virginia, containing 3.471 acres as shown on plat of survey by Townes Consulting Engineers, Planners and Land Surveyors, dated April 1, 2022 entitled “Plat Showing Physical Improvements of 2115 Broad Rock Blvd for Quality Life of Virginia, LLC”, a copy of which is attached hereto and recorded herewith and to which plat reference is made for a more particular description of the property conveyed.
BEING the same real estate conveyed to Jordan Austin, by Deeds from Mary B. Lipscombe, dated May 15, 1877, recorded November 17, 1877, in the Clerk’s Office, Circuit Court, Chesterfield County, Virginia, in Deed Book 60, page 366. Also, by Deed from Mary B. Lipscombe, dated May 23, 1880, recorded December 10, 1888, in the Clerk’s Office, Circuit Court, Chesterfield County, Virginia, in Deed Book 77, page 43. The said Jordan Austin died intestate and was survived by Wilson Austin, Booker Austin, Preston Austin, Ella Austin, now known as Ella Parks, and Sophia Austin, now known as Sophia Harris.
The said Wilson Austin died intestate and is survived by Maude Austin.
The said Booker Austin died intestate and is survived by Ruth Austin, Robert Austin, Bettie Austin, now known as Bettie Archer and Beatrice Austin, now known as Beatrice Lawson.
The said Ruth Austin died on October 19, 1918 intestate and is survived by Willie Archer, Lillie May Archer and Dallas Archer.
Subsequently Maude Austin, unmarried, Ella Parks and Fred Parks, husband and wife, Bettie Archer and Kimmie Archer, husband and wife, Ruth Archer and Willie Archer, husband and wife, Beatrice Lawson and Aaron Lawson, husband and wife, Preston and his wife, and Robert Austin conveyed the aforesaid property to Sophia Harris, by Deed dated October 2, 1920, recorded February 3, 1920, in the Clerk’s Office, Circuit Court, Chesterfield County, Virginia, in Deed Book 162, page 225.
The said Sophia Harris, also known as Sophia Austin Harris, formerly known as Sophia Austin, died February 21, 1952, intestate and per List of Heirs recorded in Will Book 70, page 547 and Will Instrument Number 08-1073, is survived by Nelson H. Harris, also known as Nelson Herbert Harris, Sr. The said Nelson Herbert Harris, also known as Nelson Herbert Harris, Sr., aka Nelson H. Harris, died June 24, 1991, intestate and per List of Heirs recorded in Will Instrument Number 06-626, left his wife, Gila Swayze Harris. The said Gila Swayze Harris, also known as Gila S. Harris died September 29, 1997, testate, with her Will recorded in Will Instrument Number 06-625 leaving the rest and residue of her estate to her three children Nelson H. Harris, Jr., John Jerome Harris, Sr. and Gila Swayzene Harris, share and share alike. The said Nelson H. Harris, Jr. predeceased the said Gila
Swayze Harris, having died in 1995. The heirs of Nelson H. Harris, Jr., namely Karl Jerome Harris and Elizabeth Harris, may have an interest in the property by deed, by inheritance or by duly recorded liens. The unknown heirs, devisees, and/or successors in title to William E. Archer and other parties unknown, may have an interest in the property by deed, by inheritance, or by duly recorded liens. Affidavit having been made and filed that due diligence has been used without effect to ascertain the identities and/or locations of certain parties to be served, and that there are or may be persons whose names are unknown, interested in the subject matter of this suit; It is ORDERED that Karl Jerome Harris and Elizabeth Harris and unknow Heirs of William E. Archer, if then living or if dead, their heirs, devisees, assigns, or successors in title, and other unknown heirs or parties who have an interest in the subject matter of this suit, who are proceeded against as uNKNOWN HEIRS OF William E. Archer, and PA r T i ES UNKNOWN appear before Court on or before October 7, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. to protect their interests, if any, in this suit.
TESTE: Edward F. Jewett., Clerk By /s/ Curtis D. Gordon, Esquire, V.S.B. #25325 Dankos, Gordon & Tucker, P.C. 1360 E. Parham Road, Suite 200 Richmond, Virginia 23228 Telephone: (804) 377-7421 Facsimile: (804) 262-8088 Counsel for Plaintiffs
ABc LicENSE Side chic Trading as: Side chic cravin Brands Jackson Ward LLc 219 East clay Street richmond, va. 23219 The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA A LCOHOLIC B EVERAGE C ONTROL (ABC) A u THORITY for a Mixed Beverage Restaurant license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages. NOTE: Objections to the issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the publishing date of the first of two required newspaper legal notices. Objections should be registered at www. abc.virginia.gov or (800 5523200.
NOTicE
Testimony Under God
This is a claim and testimony under god that I Michael Prince Hodges a man and one of gods children has expressed suretyship to the Virginia Department of Social Services Division of Childsupport to settle the matter. The Virginia Department of Social Services and all parties of the defendant were given proper equitable notice and have failed to do their fiduciary duties for case 0005624154. I Michael Prince Hodges now have a right to be exonerated from the financial obligation with the debt to be discharged and the case settled and closed and allowing me to seek reiumbursement.
virGiNiA: iN THE circUiT cOUrT FOr THE cOUNTY OF HANOvEr HEATHEr ANN BArTON,
NOTICE OF PUBLIC
Petitioner, v. case No.: cL24002209-00 cOMMONWEALTH OF virGiNiA. OrDEr OF PUBLicATiON THE OBJECT OF THIS CAuSE is to obtain an order permitting the Petitioner, Heather Barton, who is a registered sex offender, to enter school property under specific circumstances as provided by Virginia Code § 18.2-370.5. It is therefore ORDERED that any interested parties appear on October 17, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. in the Hanover County Circuit Court and/ or submit written comments regarding the petition to the Clerk of Court at least five days prior to the hearing. A Copy Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ASK FOR THIS: Michael P. Tittermary (VSB #79142) Titterrnary Law, PLC 9097 Atlee Station Road, Suite 116 Mechanicsville, Virginia 23116 (804) 508-7300 (804) 508-7301 facsimile michael@tittermarylaw.com Counsel for Petitioner
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL #VTC 25-008
The Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) has issued a Request for Proposal #VTC 25-008 for the Commonwealth of Virginia in order to Virginia’s ten (10) regions. Sealed proposals are due no later than 5:00 p.m. EDT on October 29, 2024. A Mandatory virtual pre-proposal conference will be held at 3:00 p.m. EDT, September 19, 2024, and requires pre-registration by 4:00 p.m. EDT, September 17, 2024. Proposals will
eservices.virginia.edu
Monument Avenue Sidewalk Improvement
The County of Henrico proposes to construct approximately 2,300 feet of 5-foot-wide sidewalk on the eastbound side of Monument Avenue from Bremo Road to 300 feet east of Peachtree Boulevard including median improvements, ADA curb ramps, private entrances and upgrades to the
VCDC is currently seeking a full-time Portfolio Manager to join our team. For more details and how to apply visit: www.vibrantcommunities.us Join Our Team! ASSET MANAGER Apply now: www.vibrantcommunities.us VCDC is an equal
VCDC is
Libbie Avenue Road Improvements Henrico County, Virginia
